Happy New Year to You!

Happy New Year from New York City!! I will not be partaking in the craziness portrayed in this photo....this year I'm having some of my closest friends over for some good food and scary movies! I got Paranormal Activity for us to watch. I'm already terrified, but it will be fun. I've got to get motivated to get up and clean my apartment, then shower and get ready, and finally make the appetizers. I'm making spinach and artichoke dip, crab dip (simply cream cheese with crab meat and cocktail sauce on top of it), and shrimp cocktail. My friend Kelley is bringing short ribs and mashed potatoes and Julia is bringing dessert. Yum!


I'm so excited for 2010. I predict it will be the year that many of us reach our goal weights, which is just crazy and awesome to think about!! 2010 will also be the year of travel for me. I'm headed to Las Vegas the first weekend in February with my girlfriends and then heading to Spain and Italy with my mom (not sure when yet, but definitely in 2010). Next year is also my 20th highschool reunion. I wouldn't have gone at 283, but hopefully by November I'll be at least 165.


So, reflecting back on 2009. It's been a tough but good year. My company went downhill as did many others in this economy. We lost 9 of 23 people and were forced to work with a new leader, a tough thing for many of us. We took salary cuts, never fun when living in Manhattan doesn't get any cheaper. I made the decision to have lap band surgery (yeah me!) only to find out that I had to do a supervised diet for six months before I could even begin the process (to all of you who are even thinking about surgery, do this now!! Just get it started so that if you make the decision to have the surgery you'll have this wrapped up). During the process for lap band surgery I found out that I had a lump on my neck which turned out to be thyroid cancer. Two of my best girlfriends got divorced. A tough year. On the good side, that six months flew by and I was approved for surgery without any issues. My thyroid cancer had not spread and was contained to only the right lobe. My two girlfriends are happier than ever and my company is beginning to improve. Oh and I lost 78 pounds in five months. WHOO HOO!


2010 goals:

• Reach my goal of 165 - would really love to do this by May.
• Exercise regularly 3-4 times per week.
• Run my first 5k by March.
• Date!!

Oh one quick thing. While I love this band, I hate it sometimes. I bought some tortilla chips for tonight and decided I'd have some with sour cream and salsa for a snack/lunch. I know that chips are scary because you can just eat and eat and eat them, so I am grateful for this band, BUT I wish that it would have let me eat more than four before getting stuck!  FOUR!!!!  Seriously....stop me at TEN, not FOUR! GRRR....

Happy New Year everybody. I continue to be so grateful for your support and incredible comments. You are all absolutely amazing, gorgeous, intelligent, and sassy women!! xoxo